Within Fox's growing pantheon of adult animation, The Simpsons made its mark by parodying American culture, Futurama showed that the New York of the future is still New York, and Family Guy became increasingly cruder. Competing against that line of edginess and inventiveness was Mike Judge's King of the Hill, a simple, suburban comedy about some friends and family in Texas. Ironic coming from the guy who also brought us Beavis and Butt-head.
While Futurama struggled to get ten seasons, King of the Hill lasted twelve years without interruption. King of the Hill was a force for adult animation as it saw massive success from just telling the silly yet relatable stories about the Hills. Having spanned over a decade, the series always kept things fresh through different plot threads and constant evolution.
10 Bobby And Connie Start Dating
The Souphanousinphone family was the series' quiet attempt at challenging Arlen's small town sensibilities with some diversity. And while this set up often had Hank and Peggy butting heads with Kahn and Minh, it's their children who actually found a middle ground. In Season 1, Bobby Hill and Connie immediately became friends but teased that there was some romance between them.
It wouldn't be until later seasons that this romance would actually grow and form into a relationship. This would create a variety of trying, adolescent storylines as well as a tragic breakup.
9 Hank Gets A Couple Of Brothers
Despite heading a stable home, Hank Hill himself came out of a broken home and a complicated family life. This was primarily because of his short-tempered father who came into the series with a bunch of surprises. One of his later surprises in the series was the reveal that he got his new wife, Deedee, pregnant despite his elderly age.
This storyline would bring Hank's new, half-brother, "Good Hank," into the world, though he would soon find out that G.H. isn't his first. In the "Returning Japanese" two-parter, the series revealed that Cotton also had another son in Japan. While Hank may struggle to make new children, his family still grew larger throughout the series.
8 Luanne Starts Her Own Life
After a domestic dispute tips over Luanne's family's trailer and has both of her parents sent to jail, she finds shelter with her Aunt Peggy in the Hill household. While Peggy clearly tries to make Luanne the daughter she never had, Luanne slowly but surely becomes more independent as the series goes on.
This includes enrolling into community college, moving into her own house, finding a couple of new jobs, and even starting her own family. Luanne started out in the series incredibly young and naïve, but she got to finish the series her own woman.
7 Nancy Becomes A News Anchor
Nancy Hicks-Gribble goes through a couple of changes as the series went on, but one of the tamer ones involved a huge career change. Nancy was originally Arlen's biggest weatherwoman, charming the town with both her charm and predictions for the weather. However, after a few bad reads and rising technology challenged her work, Nancy was eventually pushed out of her old position.
Struggling to find a new place within the local broadcast team, she eventually becomes Channel 84's news anchor. This career change would increase her celebrity and involvement within the greater world of media.
6 Peggy Stops Being A Substitute Teacher
In Season 1, Peggy Hill would often proclaim that she was a two-time (later three-time) Substitute Teacher of the Year winner. Her teaching career was a mixed bag, but besides her Spanish skills, Peggy was a dedicated and talented educator. Unfortunately, her opportunities only became thinner as the series went on, and she'd eventually turn to other job opportunities.
Her first major switch had her become a columnist and reporter for the Arlen Bystander, in which her nose for a good story brought the Hills in the middle of some tough situations. When the series neared its end, Peggy would find a new home within real estate after getting tempted by a very persuasive agent. No matter where she went, the fans were at least glad that Peggy was no longer teaching Spanish.
5 Nancy Stops Cheating On Dale
One of the biggest developments in the series' history is the moment that Nancy stops cheating on Dale. In by far the series' most complex story, Nancy had been cheating on Dale for well over a decade, going as far as to have John Redcorn's son, Joseph, but still pass him off as Dale's. That long affair would eventually end when she and Dale began to rekindle their relationship.
While it was always baffling how a guy like Dale could ever find love, this storyline helped make Dale even more loveable than he already was as he got to show his romantic side. Better yet, it redeemed Nancy from being a controversial and unlikable character. The gag had run its course, and the Gribbles finally became a family.
4 John Redcorn Goes Through An Identity Crisis
With Nancy returning to the gangly embrace of Dale Gribble, John Redcorn was left to reevaluate the other priorities of his life. Despite having been in the series since its first episode, John didn't really have any personality traits besides just being Native American.
As King of the Hill went deeper into his character, it examined a troubled man who struggled to be a present a father, a disgruntled Native American who was constantly under the thumb of a greater establishment, and a starving artist just trying to find his voice. Though he no longer had his precious "Nan-Nan," John Redcorn was finally able to become a character of his own.
3 Joseph Goes Through Puberty
One of the most visually striking changes in the series' progression is the drastic redesign for Dale's son and Bobby's best friend, Joseph. No longer was he the same short, spunky kid that could look Bobby Hill in the eye. Once he hit puberty, he became a tall, hairy, pimple-faced, awkward teenager. Joseph and his younger self are like night and day in this transition and that even feeds into his character.
Joseph's main personality trait before his growth spurt was being Bobby's friend; but when he became the hulking beast that fans know today, he became incredibly girl obsessed and emotionally volatile. As he struggled to find his way through the world, he created plenty of opportunities for both of his dads to give him guidance.
2 Buckley Dies
Part of Luanne's troubled youth was her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Buckley. He was a stereotypical slacker teenager who often slouched, made immature jokes, and only cared about himself. Besides dating Luanne, his defining trait was saying "Hey" at the Mega Lo Mart. With no other creative paths for the boy, the creators did the only thing they could: Kill him in a massive propane explosion.
In the "Propane Boom" arc, Buckley falls victim to some poorly handled propane tanks and became the only victim of the destructive incident at the Mega Lo Mart. This would both finally free Luanne of her toxic boyfriend as well as give way to one of the series' most fantastical episodes, "Wings of the Dope."
1 Cotton Dies
Unlike a variety of other, edgy television shows, King of the Hill never needed to use death as a means of creating interesting episodes and character growth. However, as the series neared its end and it found less use of its emotionally-stunted grandfather, King of the Hill finally decided to say goodbye to Cotton Hill. In the episode "Death Picks Cotton," a hibachi mishap accidentally sends Cotton's health into decline, and he dies with the rest of his family barely able to share a decent, last word with him.
Cotton may have been a hostile character, but he was still an important figure within the Hill's lives and a livewire that could always be trusted to spice up some plots. Though the series wouldn't last too long afterwards, it was still sad to see the series without Cotton Hill.
